Addresses for Letter Writing Campaign
Here is a start. Use any or ALL these modes of communication. But I think we should definitely continue to use snail mail. There is nothing quite like an avalanche of paper to let people know that something is significant.
I suggest writing the snail mail letter, printing it out. If it looks good, then send it by email also.
SHOW LEADERSHIP
Send this list to all your friends with your own sample letter.
We don't want all the letters to look the same, but if all you say is "The Keshi Ghat flyover in Vrindavan is an eyesore that does not respect Vrindavan's heritage as a sacred pilgrimage. We are dismayed that such insensitivity and lack of comprehension is being shown to a place that attracts so many pilgrims from around the world. Please STOP the Keshi Ghat Yamuna Flyover NOW." Or some variation thereof, it should be enough.
QUANTITY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN QUALITY. Keep your letter short. One page maximum. Use short paragraphs. Use bold type to highlight strong points. If you want to say more, send a second letter.
Mark envelopes on the outside with some relevant slogan: STOP THE YAMUNA FLYOVER. PROTECT VRINDAVAN's HERITAGE. Any other suggestions can be added below.
PLEASE NOTIFY FOR CORRECTIONS
1. The Honorable President of India
Pratibha Devi Singh Patil
The President of India
Rashtrapati Bhavan
New Delhi - 110 004
Fax: +91-11-23017290, +91-11-23017824
presssecy@alpha.nic.in (Press Secretary of the President)
presidentofindia@rb.nic.in
http://helpline.rb.nic.in/GrievanceNew.aspx
2. The Prime Minister of India
Dr Manmohan Singh
Prime Minister of India
7, Race Course Road,
New Delhi - 110 001
http://pmindia.nic.in/write.htm
FAX: +91-11-23016857, +91-11-23019545 (PM Office)
+91-11-23015603 (PM residence)
PHONE: +91-11-23018668, +91-11-23015470 (Residence) +91-11-23012312, 23018939 (Office) +91-11-3016996 (Joint Secretary of PM)
+91-11-3018939 (Personal Secretary of PM)
manmohan@sansad.nic.in OR
Email to PM at http://pmindia.nic.in/write.htm
3. Ms. Mayawati
Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh
13-A, Mall Avenue, Lucknow, U.P.
Tel. - 2236657
mayawati@sansad.nic.in
Alternative address:
C-I/12, Humayun Road, New Delhi.
Tel. - Mobile 9868181001
Mayawati is a champion of the Dalits, lower castes, untouchables, etc., and has a background in social work. Approach on the greater benefit of channeling money to causes benefiting the lower castes, etc., in Vrindavan. Also that the general benefit should be thought of in other ways than overrunning the town with cars. Vrindavan was not built for cars. Also the FRO threatening Sandeepani schoolteachers, which is such a good work for underprivileged girls, could be mentioned.
4. The Governor of Uttar Pradesh
Sri Banwari Lal Joshi
Raj Bhavan, Lucknow U.P.
Fax: (91) 0522-2223892
email: hgovup@up.nic.in
5. Sonia Gandhi, chairman of Congress Party
Smt. Sonia Gandhi, MP
10, Janpath
New Delhi.
Tele. (O) : 23034984, 23034285
Tele. (R) : 23014161, 23014481
E-Mail: soniagandhi@sansad.nic.in
6. Nitin Gadkari
President, Bharatiya Janata Party
11, Ashoka Road,
New Delhi - 110001
Tel: 011-23005700
Fax: 011-23005787
www.nitingadkari.org, email: nitingadkari@email.com
BJP is the main opposition party and sympathetic to Hinduism. This guy is big on building flyovers and expressways, though. But, "He organized the great plantation drive in Nagpur which planted 40 lakh trees in 2 years. He aimed to make Nagpur the Greenest City in India."
8. Loka sabha deputy for Mathura (Uttar Pradesh 17)
Jayant Chaudhary - Rashtriya Lok Dal (LSE)
Address: 244/2 SHIVAJI ROAD, MEERUT, UP
Grandson of Charan Singh, son of Ajit Chaudhary. Looks like good people.
9. Shri Satish Chandra Mishra
All India General Secretary BSP
17/6,Windsor Place,
Behind Yojana Bhavan
Lucknow – 226 001
Also web contact: http://bspindia.org/contact-us.php
10. Environment Minister (This is probably not relevant)
Shri A. Raja,
Union Minister,
Ministry of Environment and Forests,
Rm # 424, Paryavaran Bhavan, C.G.O.Complex,
Lodhi Road Institutional Area,
New Delhi
+91-11-24361748; +91-11-24361727
11. Dr. R K Singh
Vice-Chairman
Mathura Vrindavan Development Authority
Rajiv Bhavan
A-32 Civil Lines
Mathura, UP 281 001
0565-2401090, 247068701
Email: vcmvda@rediffmail.com, mvda@mvdamathura.com
http://www.mvdamathura.com/contact-us/index.htm
12. Sri Dinesh Chandra Shukla
District Magistrate
Civil Lines
Mathura
(0565) 2404152 2403200 2404613
More later. If Chandan Maharaj wants to specify which addresses are the most important, that would be helpful. If you have the time, send to all. Send many.
I suggest writing the snail mail letter, printing it out. If it looks good, then send it by email also.
SHOW LEADERSHIP
Send this list to all your friends with your own sample letter.
We don't want all the letters to look the same, but if all you say is "The Keshi Ghat flyover in Vrindavan is an eyesore that does not respect Vrindavan's heritage as a sacred pilgrimage. We are dismayed that such insensitivity and lack of comprehension is being shown to a place that attracts so many pilgrims from around the world. Please STOP the Keshi Ghat Yamuna Flyover NOW." Or some variation thereof, it should be enough.
QUANTITY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN QUALITY. Keep your letter short. One page maximum. Use short paragraphs. Use bold type to highlight strong points. If you want to say more, send a second letter.
Mark envelopes on the outside with some relevant slogan: STOP THE YAMUNA FLYOVER. PROTECT VRINDAVAN's HERITAGE. Any other suggestions can be added below.
PLEASE NOTIFY FOR CORRECTIONS
1. The Honorable President of India
Pratibha Devi Singh Patil
The President of India
Rashtrapati Bhavan
New Delhi - 110 004
Fax: +91-11-23017290, +91-11-23017824
presssecy@alpha.nic.in (Press Secretary of the President)
presidentofindia@rb.nic.in
http://helpline.rb.nic.in/
2. The Prime Minister of India
Dr Manmohan Singh
Prime Minister of India
7, Race Course Road,
New Delhi - 110 001
http://pmindia.nic.in/writ
FAX: +91-11-23016857, +91-11-23019545 (PM Office)
+91-11-23015603 (PM residence)
PHONE: +91-11-23018668, +91-11-23015470 (Residence) +91-11-23012312, 23018939 (Office) +91-11-3016996 (Joint Secretary of PM)
+91-11-3018939 (Personal Secretary of PM)
manmohan@sansad.nic.in OR
Email to PM at http://pmindia.nic.in/writ
3. Ms. Mayawati
Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh
13-A, Mall Avenue, Lucknow, U.P.
Tel. - 2236657
mayawati@sansad.nic.in
Alternative address:
C-I/12, Humayun Road, New Delhi.
Tel. - Mobile 9868181001
Mayawati is a champion of the Dalits, lower castes, untouchables, etc., and has a background in social work. Approach on the greater benefit of channeling money to causes benefiting the lower castes, etc., in Vrindavan. Also that the general benefit should be thought of in other ways than overrunning the town with cars. Vrindavan was not built for cars. Also the FRO threatening Sandeepani schoolteachers, which is such a good work for underprivileged girls, could be mentioned.
4. The Governor of Uttar Pradesh
Sri Banwari Lal Joshi
Raj Bhavan, Lucknow U.P.
Fax: (91) 0522-2223892
email: hgovup@up.nic.in
5. Sonia Gandhi, chairman of Congress Party
Smt. Sonia Gandhi, MP
10, Janpath
New Delhi.
Tele. (O) : 23034984, 23034285
Tele. (R) : 23014161, 23014481
E-Mail: soniagandhi@sansad.nic.in
6. Nitin Gadkari
President, Bharatiya Janata Party
11, Ashoka Road,
New Delhi - 110001
Tel: 011-23005700
Fax: 011-23005787
www.nitingadkari.org, email: nitingadkari@email.com
BJP is the main opposition party and sympathetic to Hinduism. This guy is big on building flyovers and expressways, though. But, "He organized the great plantation drive in Nagpur which planted 40 lakh trees in 2 years. He aimed to make Nagpur the Greenest City in India."
8. Loka sabha deputy for Mathura (Uttar Pradesh 17)
Jayant Chaudhary - Rashtriya Lok Dal (LSE)
Address: 244/2 SHIVAJI ROAD, MEERUT, UP
Grandson of Charan Singh, son of Ajit Chaudhary. Looks like good people.
9. Shri Satish Chandra Mishra
All India General Secretary BSP
17/6,Windsor Place,
Behind Yojana Bhavan
Lucknow – 226 001
Also web contact: http://bspindia.org/contac
10. Environment Minister (This is probably not relevant)
Shri A. Raja,
Union Minister,
Ministry of Environment and Forests,
Rm # 424, Paryavaran Bhavan, C.G.O.Complex,
Lodhi Road Institutional Area,
New Delhi
+91-11-24361748; +91-11-24361727
11. Dr. R K Singh
Vice-Chairman
Mathura Vrindavan Development Authority
Rajiv Bhavan
A-32 Civil Lines
Mathura, UP 281 001
0565-2401090, 247068701
Email: vcmvda@rediffmail.com, mvda@mvdamathura.com
http://www.mvdamathura.com/contact-us/index.htm
12. Sri Dinesh Chandra Shukla
District Magistrate
Civil Lines
Mathura
(0565) 2404152 2403200 2404613
More later. If Chandan Maharaj wants to specify which addresses are the most important, that would be helpful. If you have the time, send to all. Send many.
Let's have Letter Writing Parties. Devotees can get together, bring their laptops. Make sure they have a printer. Sit together, have a kirtan, read some inspiring passages from Prabodhananda's Vrindavana-mahimamritam, and then start writing, printing, signing, stuffing envelopes, sticking stamps.
Meanwhile, you can take turns cutting and pasting your texts into emails and send them off.
Then do nagar kirtan to the mailbox!! Take prasadam and go to bed and sleep peacefully with dreams of Radha and Krishna in the divine bower!! With no cars flying over!
smara nibhrita nikunje radhika-krishna-chandrau!!
Meanwhile, you can take turns cutting and pasting your texts into emails and send them off.
Then do nagar kirtan to the mailbox!! Take prasadam and go to bed and sleep peacefully with dreams of Radha and Krishna in the divine bower!! With no cars flying over!
smara nibhrita nikunje radhika-krishna-chandrau!!
Comments
I know that at present the missions of Paramadvaiti Mj, Tripurari Mj, Nrsingha Mj and some disciples of Narayan Mj are doing quite a lot to help with the petition, letter writing etc.
Unfortunately, some of the bigger missions don't seem to want to spread the word. You have mentioned a few already – after all, some gurus have 1000's of disciples. Is it so difficult that an email is sent out to them to request them to participate?
Perhaps it is...
I think that most of these gurus and disciples are too wrapped up in their own selfish worlds to even care what is going on outside. Everyone has their own little fiefdom and if the construction of a bridge at Keshi Ghat does not affect them directly, then they don't really care.
Another problem is that some of these leaders seem to be so small minded that if someone else is at the head of a protest (and not them) their false ego will not allow them to get involved ("it wasn't my idea so why should I support it?")
Very sad indeed...
parIhAse’py anyApriya-kathana-mUko’tivadhiraH
pareSAM doSAnuzrutim anu viloke’ndha-nayanaH |
zilAvan nizceSTaH para-vapuSi bAdhA-lava-vidhau
kadA vatsyAmy asmin hari-dayita-vRndAvana-vane ||2.16||
(Vrindavana Mahimamrita - Sri Prabodhananda Saraswati)
"When, becoming dumb to jokes mocking others,
deaf and blind to others' faults, and inactive
like a stone in the matter of bringing others
even the slightest pain, will I reside in this
Vrindavana forest, the garden of Hari's Beloved?"
-------------------------------
...smara nibhrita nikunje radhika-krishna-chandrau!!...
zrI bhagavAnuvAca:
anta kAle ca mAmeva
smaran muktvA kalevaram,
yah prayAti sa madbhAvaM
yAti nAstyatra saMzayaH
yaM yaM vApi smaran bhAvaM
tyajatyante kalevaram
taM tamevaiti kaunteya
sadA tadbhAva bhAvitaH
- Gita 8.5,6
Lord Krishna declares:
And whoever, at the time of death, leaving the body,
goes forth remembering Me alone, he attains My Being.
There is no doubt about this.
Whatever being a man remembers of at
the last moment when leaves his body,
that alone does he attain, O Kaunteya,
being ever absorbed in thought there of.
tasmAt sarveSu kAleSu
mAm anusmara yudhya ca
mayy arpita-mano-buddhir
mAm evaiSyasy asaMzayaH
- Gita 8.7
Therefore, Arjuna, you should always remember Me
even while carrying out your activity of fighting.
With all your activities dedicated to Me,
your mind and intelligence surrendered to Me,
you will attain Me without doubt.
Jaya Sri Radhe!
Jagadji,
Can you tell what this means? As a western-born person I don't get this fully. If this is still the reality of India, no wonder things like Yamuna bridge can happen -- it means having zero social consciousness. How can any appeal work in an environment where people are still segregated like animals?
And (most) practitioners from the West still believe that social system is the climax of humanity?
I don't know if people realize it's the very segregation problem (resulting in segregation of interests) that causes lack of social consciousness we're dealing with here, not the Yamuna bridge problem? If that wasn't true, you wouldn't need to post so many appeals on your website.
I will write a few letters.
Since I have the feeling I have to do something against building highroads next to a place of meditation.
But I realize that a letter from a person living in The Netherlands with its bridges, dikes, highroads, harbours, airports and develloped glass buildings is not going to make much difference. It might even create disgust amongst Indian devellopers.
The British have been (and still are) disgusting with respect to foreign culture. Their policy of arrogantly downplaying and altering Indian culture is paying of............... the Indians lost it.
Dear Sir/Madam,
I have read reports of the recent decision by the municipality of Vrindavan (district Mathura, Uttar Pradesh) to develop the road system of that sacred area even further, so as to accommodate all types of vehicles. When I visited Vrindavan back in ’81 and ’83, I was charmed and entranced by the atmosphere, and leaving it was extremely painful both times. There was everywhere the sounds of peacocks as well as sacred groves of trees which exuded a sanctity that was indescribable, and unforgettable. I felt, palpably, a sense that this place was not of this world, but of an entirely different dimension, and one that I belonged to, despite growing up in an altogether different culture. I felt that without a doubt, here is my home. Almost twenty years passed between then and when I could revisit Vrindavan once again, and I anticipated seeing her again with great and eager anticipation on the taxi ride from Delhi to Vrindavan. When the driver told me we had arrived, I didn’t believe him at first. Vrindavan was utterly unrecognizable to me. The only sounds to be heard was a crazy cacophony of roaring and honking automobiles. The area was littered and polluted beyond recognition. I spent my time there frantically trying to capture something that could remind me of what Vrindavan once was to me. My disappointment was as great as the death of a dear friend, or the loss of a homeland.
So it was with great dismay that I read the report that Vrindavan is going to be mechanized and modernized even further. This is like the contribution of throwing mud on an exquisite work of art. People come here to escape the torment of modernization, the pace of which forces the mind into a torrent of frantic activity…
Vrindavan should not become just another city, nor should India become just another country! Their contribution is greater than all the scientific and technological advances of the west, put together, as evidenced by the spiraling rates of depression in those countries. The false promise of happiness through materialism has failed us, and we look to India for answers, and a place to reorient ourselves towards the spiritual. Please do not take this opportunity away from us. Just as ancient works of art are restored to their former condition -not plastered upon with a gawdy modern print, Vrindavan must be also be restored to her former glory, not plastered upon with modernity.
Do you have an email address where I can send you some questions about the Gaudiya Vaishnava Sampradaya,(structure, history, current status, etc.), or, perhaps get your direction where they can be found? My email for this would be prabhu_kavaca@yahoo.com
Prabhupad Das